Matthew 21:10-16 9/21/25 a.m.
I remember as a kid there were many times that my mama would tell me and my brother, “You two need to clean your room.” And ... she was right. It looked like a pig stye. It was mostly my brother Mike’s stuff.
And now as a daddy I’ve told my kids, “You need to clean your room.” And I’m right too. Now listen, you all think I’m mean to Rachel for teasing her so much. Well, if you notice, I didn’t use her as an example today. No, I know the boundaries. Plus, she’s a good house keeper. She keeps a nice tidy house. ILLUS: She’s not like the story I heard about a college fraternity house. They got a PIG to use as a PRANK but they had to keep it somewhere until the next day. So one of the boys said, “Well I can keep it in my room.” Somebody asked him, “Well, what about the smell?” And the FRAT BOY said, “Oh, I don’t think it will hurt that OLD PIG, he’ll get used to it.”
This morning, I want to take a few minutes and talk to you about CLEANING HOUSE. And so before we go any further let’s read from the Book of Matthew. Chapter 21 and we’ll read Verses 10-16.
“And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”
We see here that Jesus was walking into this beautiful temple that was built when the Nation of Judah returned from Babylonian captivity. It was completed in 516 B.C. And so for many years it had stood there, a place for people to come and go. A place for people to offer sacrifices unto God. A place to worship. A place where God had, at one time, dwelt. In Ezra Chapter 6, we see the DEDICATION of this temple. We see that the Priests and Levites were PURIFIED. And because of that, the FEAST of the PASSOVER was able to be kept. Things were good but through the years SOMETHING had happened.
And so that’s what we’re going to look at today but before we do, let’s pray.
Brother ____, would you lead us?
From the time that I was a little boy, I have always loved this story. I have envisioned it in my mind. Jesus coming in to the temple and seeing the Money Changers ripping the people off.
You see, in the days of Jesus, the temple tax was required to be paid with a Tyrian shekel, or a half-shekel version known as a didrachm. The Jerusalem temple authorities were strict about this, and other currencies were not accepted. You couldn’t pay the Temple Tax with a Roman Denarius. The reason why was because the Tyrian coins' had a high silver purity whereas the Roman Denarius weren’t near as pure.
And so the people were paid at their jobs with the Roman Denarius but they had to exchange those for a Tyrian Shekel or half shekel. And so the people would bring their Roman money into the temple and exchange them for Shekels. The problem was, the money changers were ripping the people off. They weren’t giving them the FULL VALUE of the Roman money for the shekels. And this made Jesus angry.
There were also people SELLING DOVES to be offered for sacrifices. They were probably overcharging the people.
And so, like I said, I have envisioned Jesus going in and taking action. In John 2 it gives us the same story but adds one detail. Jesus used a WHIP to drive them out.
I LOVE THAT. Jesus a man of action. Taking care of business. He’s BRAVE and BOLD.
And so Jesus comes in to the temple and He sees the CORRUPTION.
You know, that’s the way it was approximately 2000 years ago. But shortly things would change. You see, no longer would PRIESTS be required. No longer would the people need to offer sacrifices. No longer would the temple be a place for God to dwell. EVERYTHING CHANGED when Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary. HE!!! was the Final Sacrifice. HE!!! is our intercessor. And our BODIES are where HE dwells!!! Paul told the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20,
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
YES, we come here to church to worship our GOD. YES, we can feel His presence here. But you know what? We can meet down at the LIBRARY or at the SCHOOL Gymnasium or at an OLD BARN somewhere and we can still feel His Spirit. Why? Because He dwells within us. Our BODIES are now the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost. Look around you. You’re looking at TEMPLES for God to dwell in.
Some are prettier than others, that’s for sure. This one right here is looking a little run down!!! (Point at myself) The roofs missing some shingles. (I’m going BALD). It’s starting to lean over a little bit. (I don’t stand as straight as I used to). And the PAINT’S FADING pretty bad. (My beard is white?.
But you know, I don’t think that matters too much to Jesus. I think He’s more concerned with what’s on the inside.
And so when JESUS comes into a person’s life, there’s some JUNK IN THERE that He’s gonna have to get rid of. He’s gonna have to do some HOUSE CLEANING. He may have to get His whip out and turn over some TABLES. You see, there’s some CORRUPTION in there and He ain’t gonna dwell with it setting there beside Him. There’s some things that need to be driven out.
In Ephesians 4:31 and 32, Paul told the church at Ephesus,
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Listen, Jesus HAS to get rid of the BITTERNESS that so many people have in their hearts. And you know what, you may have a good reason for your BITTERNESS. There are a lot of DAMAGED PEOPLE out there today. A LOT of PEOPLE who have been done wrong. This can be a MEAN WORLD that we live in. And it doesn’t matter WHY it’s there or HOW it got there, Jesus wants to CLEAN IT OUT.
And He wants to CLEAN OUT the WRATH, ANGER and CLAMOUR. EVIL SPEAKING that comes out of this TEMPLE.
Once Jesus comes in with His broom and begins sweeping things out it ought to make a difference in our lives. We shouldn’t be talking the same way. We shouldn’t be using the SAME WORDS that people use who AREN’T THE TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost of God. There OUGHT to be a DIFFERENCE.
ILLUS: I remember years ago I was talking to a fellow I worked with. I don’t remember what we were talking about but he mentioned where he went to church. Listen, I didn’t say this to be MEAN, I just said it because it’s what came to my mind.
I said, “You go to church? I never would have guessed that!!!” He got all upset and asked me why I said that and I told him, “The LANGUAGE and NASTY WORDS you use sure doesn’t sound like things a follower of Jesus would say.”
I know there are probably folks here who use language you shouldn’t. Listen, the WAY we TALK is a TESTIMONY of WHO we serve and WHO lives within us. Why don’t you let Jesus do some sweeping out in you today?
Once these bodies become the TEMPLE of the HOLY GHOST, we shouldn’t be going to some of the places that other people go.
We shouldn’t be LOOKING at some of the same things other people look at. David said in Psalms 101:3,
“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:”
Listen there was CORRUPTION in the TEMPLE.
II. And so there had to be a CORRECTION.
Now I mentioned this earlier but Jesus didn’t just TALK about how CORRUPT things were.
He didn’t just BEMOAN the current situation. How bad things were getting.
He didn’t SIC his disciples after the money changers. “Hey John, go turn them tables over. Peter, you get after them guys selling DOVES at a RIP OFF price. The rest of you fellows grab some whips and see if you can get these people out of here.”
No, the CORRECTION was done by Jesus. In fact we don’t see anyone helping Him. I bet the disciples probably stood there with their mouths open. “Oh boy Jesus, you’ve done it now. Those Pharisees and Sadducees are gonna be SO MAD!!!”
Some might say it was awfully bold to go in and do what Jesus did. And it was but who had more of a right to do it than Jesus. Jesus is GOD. HE was WHO this TEMPLE was built to WORSHIP. If ANYONE had a RIGHT to CORRECT this WRONG it was JESUS. And look, this had been needed to be done for a LONG TIME but NO ONE had the COURAGE or the GUMPTION to do it. Somebody had to do it, so Jesus did it.
The TABLES were FLIPPED. The MONEY went FLYING. DOVES were released and went flying away. And a WHIP started swinging.
Now I guess you can see why I liked to envision this in my mind? I bet this was a sight to BEHOLD. JESUS CORRECTING the PROBLEM.
We talked about a few things that SHOULD NOT be in our TEMPLE. This is where the Holy Spirit lives. So how does Jesus get rid of it? What BROOM or WHIP does He use?
A. Well, Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
So HOW does Jesus make this happen?
Well, first of all He uses CONVICTION. He makes us SORRY. He speaks to our HEARTS and MINDS.
Look at 2 Corinthians 7, Verses 9 and 10,
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
B. Also, He speaks to us through HIS OWN WORD.
This BIBLE RIGHT HERE tells us what CORRECTION needs to be DONE to clean up the CORRUPTION in our LIVES. But here’s the deal, you have to READ IT. Psalms 119:105,
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
I guarantee you if a person will REALLY READ God’s Word it will make a difference in their lives. It will LEAD THEM and GUIDE THEM on what needs to GO and what needs to STAY.
C. And thirdly, the HOLY SPIRIT, if it has to, it will use a WHIP to DRIVE some of the CORRUPTION out of a person’s temple. I don’t know how many of you here got whoopins when you was a child. I DID and I guess that’s why I’m so MESSED UP TODAY. Right? Some of you all probably saying, “Now I know why he is the way he is!!!” Can I tell you something. My mama and daddy loved me enough to TRAIN ME, DISCIPLINE ME and even CHASTISE ME at times. They SAW SOME THINGS IN ME that didn’t need to be there. Do you know what they saw? FOOLISHNESS And what does Proverbs 22:15 say?
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
As a kid I didn’t like that Verse. Not at all. But that Verse is TRUE. I know it’s not a popular thing today but the Bible is still true. A GOOD SPANKING, NOT a BEATING, there’s a difference, is what children need today.
And the Holy Spirit of God sometimes has to use a WHIP to drive foolishness out of our lives. Let’s turn in our Bibles to Hebrews 12 and we’ll read Verses 5-11,
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
I never LIKED getting a whoopin and I never liked giving a whoopin but I did it because I loved my children.
And there are times that the Holy Spirit has to give us a whoopin, He has to SCOURGE US. He has to use CORRECTION to drive the CORRUPTION out of these Temples. He does it because He loves us. It ain’t FUN and it ain’t easy, but it is NECESSARY. And who else can do it better? He’s God and we were CREATED to worship Him.
Now I want to say this. If you LIVE with corruption and sin in your life and God doesn’t take you to the WOODSHED, you better take a close look at your life. If you can continue to live with JUNK in your life you better be careful. Look at Verse 8. If you don’t have CORRECTION or CONVICTION in your life. If you don’t have times of CHASTENING, you’re NOT a CHILD of GOD. You’re a BASTARD. You’re ILLEGITIMATE. You’re NOT a real child of God. I didn’t say it, GOD DID!!! And you can call me mean but I LOVE YOU and I’m just telling you the TRUTH.
And so we see the CORRUPTION that Jesus had to deal with. We see the CORRECTION that He brought upon this Den of Thieves there at the Temple.
III. And now I want us to see the CAUSE. WHY JESUS DID WHAT HE DID. I already touched on this a little bit but look at Verse 14. The BLIND MAN who couldn’t see came to Jesus and Jesus HEALED HIM. Maybe it didn’t make much difference to those Jewish leaders but it made a difference to the man who couldn’t see but now he does.
We see the LAME MAN who came to Jesus and JESUS TOUCHED HIM and HEALED HIM. Maybe it didn’t make any difference to the Pharisees and Sadducees but it made a difference to the man who couldn’t walk but now he can.
I think about the LITTLE CHILDREN who were there that day. Verse 15 tells us that they were “crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David” Giving praise to Jesus.
WOO WEE, this is just another reason I would have liked to have been there that day. I would have liked to have seen this. And this is the CAUSE. This is the REASON why Jesus was there that day. The reason that He drove the MONEY CHANGERS out of the TEMPLE. He did it so LIVES could be TOUCHED.
It tells us that the Chief Priests and Scribes SAW what was done and they were SORE DISPLEASED. They were very unhappy. ALL they could see was there PROFITS going down the TUBES. The DOVES flying away. The TABLES getting turned over. They couldn’t SEE LIVES BEING TOUCHED.
And I’m afraid too many times people just can’t see the CAUSE. The NEED to GET RID of things in their lives. They just can’t GRASP that their BODIES are the TEMPLE of the HOLY GHOST. And so they FILL IT UP with JUNK that doesn’t need to be there.
And when the Holy Ghost convicts them of things in their life they just IGNORE HIM. They can’t see the CAUSE, the REASON WHY, they have to go through things that HURT.
Too many times they can’t see the NEED to GLORIFY GOD in every part of their life. Once again 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20,
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The PRICE? The SACRIFICE, the DEATH of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the Cross of Calvary for the SINS of the WORLD. So, is it too much to GLORIFY GOD in the way we live? I don’t think so.
ILLUS: Several years ago I infamously said that women should always wear makeup. Why? Because a coat of paint even makes an old barn look better. I doubt I’ll ever live that one down. But folks, let me say this today. If you’re a follower of Jesus, let Him do some work ON and IN HIS TEMPLE. Your BODY. Your LIFE. Let Him clean some things up that shouldn’t be there. Can I tell you something? It’s a whole lot easier to do it BEFORE He has to CHASTEN YOU. Let God do a WORK in your life.
And if you’re here today and you aren’t following Jesus and the Holy Ghost isn’t dwelling in you, LISTEN, HE WANTS TO MOVE IN and CLEAN YOU UP. He wants to be your Father. Let HIM do a WORK in your life.
There’s CORRUPTION in all of our lives. Romans 3:23,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
But God will do a CORRECTION. He loves us that much.
And the CAUSE? Salvation for all who accept it. Let’s Pray
